The invention concerns a computer system used to determine and evaluate data or groups of data, each of which includes a specific characteristic, particularly for simulation of human perception via sense organs.
In robotics, one is concerned with computer systems that deal with handling processes based on external or internal data with the help of a specific program, and that pass the calculation results on to actuators, effectors, or generally to a motor control unit, for example, so that work is performed by the robot automatically and independently. A further goal is to build xe2x80x9clearningxe2x80x9d robots, i.e., to configure the computer system so that that it expands or restructures existing programming based on external data in order to optimize the assigned task and more effectively perform it.
Examples for such computer systems are neural net computers that simulate the processes in regions of the human brain based on external stimulation, and that produce corresponding calculation results.
German patent DE-C2-3707998, of which the applicant is a co-inventor, makes a step in this direction. In the computer system presented there, an attempt is made to at least partially emulate the neuron brain structure. For this, the computer system includes a number of node computers that correspond to neurons in the human brain, and bi-directional information conductors connecting the node computers that correspond to dendrites in the human brain. This computer serves to calculate the environment-related self-awareness, and is organized permutographically, whereby, in principle, each node computer can assume the command control of all computation operations of the entire computer. This achieves a degree of potential command execution redundancy that has actually been observed for neurons in the human brain.
Along with this permutographically-organized computer, an additional keno-grammatically-organized computer is provided that communicates with the permutogaph-computer via compilers. The kenograph computer simulates the neuroglia that have been proved to be responsible for information transfer between individual neurons and for the observed restructuring in the neuron aggregate.
The calculation results achieved by this complex computer system are represented as a path through the computer system.
A particular problem in xe2x80x9clearningxe2x80x9d robots is the simulation of perceptions via sense organs. If a computer system with a corresponding structure and program that simulated human perception were available here, the evaluation of the output signals from sensors, whether they are optical, touch, or scent sensors etc., might be greatly simplified.
The present invention is based on the objective of creating a computer system of the type mentioned above that evaluates data or groups of data possessing particular characteristics so that possible responses, e.g., handling instructions for the motor systems of a robot, may be selected and evaluated in a meaningful manner.
This objective is achieved by the invention by means of a computer system with a receptor field, a processor field, a switching field, a phase circuit, and a phase program circuit, each of which is specifically configured.
The receptor field includes sensors, each of which corresponds to data with a specific characteristic (e.g., characteristics or properties A, B, or C), and which then issues an output signal characterizing this specific property. This corresponds to the xe2x80x9ckey/keyhole principlexe2x80x9d often observed in nature, whereby a receptor, in this case the sensor, features a material/chemical structure as the xe2x80x9ckeyholexe2x80x9d into which only a complementary structure, the data in the simulation with the specific characteristic, will fit as the key.
The sensors are connected with links, e.g., wires, with a processor field consisting of processors; in the simulation the processors correspond to neurons in the human brain, and the connections between sensors and processors correspond to the afferent axons that lead from each sense organ to the central nervous system. This connection is a 1:1 connection i.e., each sensor is assigned to a processor or processor group.
The switching field switches the existing connections between sensors and processor on or off. This switching field corresponds in the simulation to the oligodendrozytes that surround the myelinscheiden with their arms, and can limit or release them.
By means of the phase circuit, the processors or a processor group and the switching field may be activated and deactivated in cycled time phases. In the simulation, this phase circuit corresponds to the astrozytes with their arms. The connection circuit and the phase circuit usually operate synchronously, so that a redundant release or blockage of the lines results. It is also possible that each phase circuit specifies a program section that is the basis for a common intention of the evaluations to be performed. The pertinent time phase is relatively long. With the specification, the corresponding processors responsible for the evaluation are released. The connection circuit has the task of releasing the processors responsible for the individual sections within the specified program sections in several sections, i.e., shorter time phases.
The phase program circuit controls the computer system and determines the progression of the time phases and thereby the limitation or release of the processor and the switching field associated with it by means of the phase control. The phase program circuit and some functions of the phase circuit correspond in the simulation to the glia cells that have access to an experimentally-ensured internally-generated pulsation that corresponds to the time phases queried. During a time phase, a certain combination of queried sensors, i.e., in the simulation, a combination of statuses of the receptors, is sought and checked. This xe2x80x9csearchxe2x80x9d corresponds to the known intentional, behavior-related perception. Switching of the time phases of the phase program circuit and the connections occurs in parallel, a reference to the hypothesis that the glia possesses a spatial and temporal limit-setting function.
The temporally-cycled phase program circuit specifies the data with specific characteristics that it anticipates in the receptor field for a certain intention, for example, certain colors, shapes, etc. The data actually present at the sensors are compared with the specified data and analyzed, for example, to determine whether the anticipated data are present as distributed at the sensors, and at which sensors they are actually present.
The phase circuit activates just those processors that are provided for information processing of the anticipated phase program.
The switching field activates just those sensors that are dictated by the phase program.
Each pertinent phase program applies both to the phase circuit and to the switching field, so that these two devices are connected in parallel.
By means of the phase program circuit, for example, a primary, secondary, or tertiary analysis of the status of the receptors may result with the support of the kenogrammatics.
A primary analysis gives a response to the question whether sensors have been queried at all by the properties specified by the phase program, i.e., by specific data. For a robot, this represents a response to the query whether it is even located within a suitable environment within which a chance exists that the intended phase program may be implemented with the proper handling instructions.
A secondary analysis gives a response to the questions of how many sensors are being queried by the specific characteristics intended by the phase program, and how these sensors are distributed within the receptor field.
A tertiary analysis gives a response to the question where the sensors are positioned within the receptor field that are being queried by the specific data intended by the phase program.
Based on this, and possibly other, analyses, the computer system can determine a distribution of specific data. This may thus be used to simulate an xe2x80x9cimagexe2x80x9d of a robot""s environment. Based on this analysis and on additional buffered results from the processors, the robot""s actuators and effectors, and thus the motors, may be controlled by the phase program, which then moves the receptor field in which, for example, a camera with a large number of CCD sensors may be swiveled or the entire robot may be caused to reposition itself during the simulation of optical perception, so that more suitable stimuli, i.e., data with specific characteristics more suitable for the sensors, may be adjusted for the receptor field.
Simulation of perception is thus coupled to a dynamic, handling-oriented system which corresponds to the biological perception process that likewise does not know a statistic reception mechanism: Handling instructions such as xe2x80x9cgrip the apple,xe2x80x9d for example, are directly transformed from visual input information xe2x80x9csee the apple.xe2x80x9d Input information and handling instructions are thus isomorphic.
A formal isomorphy is produced by the phase control introduced here, namely a spatial isotopy on the one hand, and a temporal synchronization between the sensor and the motor on the other hand. Spatial isotopy means that the search for stimuli suitable for the sensors during a perception simulation depends on the prepared sensors corresponding to the phase program, their locations and orientations, and the movement of these sensors or their simulation of suitable stimuli in the xe2x80x9cenvironment,xe2x80x9d and vice versa.
For the temporal synchronization, the switching field and the motors or effectors are in agreement to the extent that both systems synchronize, whereby a perfect perception or the simulation of a perception is eventually achieved via sense organs.
During processing of the phase programs generated, a large number of program paths must naturally be processed until a desired and meaningful result is achieved. The calculation time is correspondingly high, but is entirely within reason considering today""s computer capabilities.
During the complete processing of individual program steps, it is possible that xe2x80x9csenselessxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmeaninglessxe2x80x9d paths will be calculated before they are recognized to be senseless and therefore non-executable.
In order to shorten the time required to process the overall phase program, and to calculate significant results from the phase program quickly, the computer system includes a selection circuit that quasi-xe2x80x9cjumps overxe2x80x9d such commands during readout of those individual program commands whose execution would lead to senseless or non-executable results, thereby discarding them. Such xe2x80x9cnonsensexe2x80x9d program commands are buffered, so that the meaningful commands are compared with the buffered xe2x80x9cnonsensexe2x80x9d program commands when the program commands are read out, and may thus be removed from program execution.
The computer system starts, for example, with any particular phase program and tests which program commands created significant perception images within a certain environment. The criterion for xe2x80x9cmeaningfulxe2x80x9d might be, for example, that the computer system intentionally conducts an action corresponding to the perception. For example, the proper motor is actuated in a robot that leads to meaningful handling.
The computer system determines over time that certain program commands corresponding to a time cycle in the phase program lead to xe2x80x9csenselessxe2x80x9d perception images which also evince themselves in purposeless, i.e., xe2x80x9cnonsensexe2x80x9d actions, e.g., motor processes. However, such program commands executed in another environment might cause meaningful actions, so that consideration of the current environment is significant.
The computer system""s learning process consists of having the phase programs created for a specific, targeted environment, and, based on system feedback, having program commands ignored that are unsuitable for each task in the current environment, and thereby creating a suitable action, e.g., movement of sensors.
The above-mentioned sensors address three different properties or data types, whereby the individual program commands are compiled as triplets, i.e., as a triple data set composed of a, b, and c. When triplets, for example, that have the property b in the first position are unsuitable for the creation of meaningful actions in the current environment, they are removed from the phase program. If, for example, the following phase program is present:
aaa/baa/cba/bcc/aca,
then the second and fourth triplets beginning with b will be cancelled, i.e., removed, so that the following implementable phase program remains:
aaa/cba/aca.
From this brief example, one may see that the act of ignoring part of the phase program can significantly shorten it, so that the calculation time for the entire system is also shortened. Actions that are suitable and meaningful for the environment may be quickly calculated.
The function of this modified phase program circuit, which is modified by this selection circuit, is oriented to genetic code: a gene caries so-called codones, i.e., genetic words consisting of four (or possibly five) nucleotides A, T, C, and G (and possibly U), which represent a reading framework for amino acids from which in turn a certain protein is created. Comparable to this genetic mechanism, command programs are encoded based on the invention, i.e., phase program triplets represent the structure of a perception image.
A gene in turn consists alternatively of sections of nucleotides which may factor a gene (so-called exones), and sections which cannot factor a protein, so-called intrones.
In order to be able to create a functional protein at all, the intrones must be xe2x80x9cspliced outxe2x80x9d of the nucleotide sequence. In science, one speaks of a so-called xe2x80x9csplicing mechanism.xe2x80x9d As soon as this mechanism is destroyed, in that intrones are not actually cut out, non-functional xe2x80x9cChimeraxe2x80x9d proteins or only short-lived supported proteins (truncated proteins) come into existence. In the phase programming for the computer system based on the invention, this genetic principle means that program commands encode in the form of trigraphs, e.g., triplets of time cycles which encode unsuitable positions for a qualitative image construction for the objects of a certain environment, or tend to lead to sense deceptions within the meaning of false perceptions if these program commands are not spliced out.
Based on the invention, the selective circuit in the phase program circuit assumes the task of jumping over or discarding those program commands in the command sequence that lead to senseless actions. The computer system based on the invention is therefore not only capable of learning, but also includes self-organization that exists as an on-going optimization of meaningful perception and targeted actions, e.g., motor processes of a robot.
Moreover, the pathology of schizophrenia may be similarly described in that the sections that lead to senseless actions are not spliced out from perceptions, so that meaningful conceptualization or meaningful scenes become impossible.
Practically all genes of higher life forms have non-encoding intrones that are positioned between encoding exones and that must be cut out of the sequence in order to create a messenger RNA molecule that is used for the formation of a protein. With the concept of this invention, the hypothesis may be presented of a new interpretation for the molecular splicing as a fundamental rejection mechanism that has been formed during the process, and that serves as the basis for other types of rejection, including the rejection of thoughts and impulses in the human brain that are incompatible with environmental conditions. Psychiatrists explain phantasms and hallucinations in schizophrenic patients with expressions such as xe2x80x9closs of ego boundariesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cinner/outer confusion.xe2x80x9d With the new model presented here, it is suggested that the loss of the rejection function at the molecular level, i.e., the incapability to splice intrones out, results in a loss of the boundary-setting function of the glia during the interaction with the nervous system. If intrones are not spliced out of the genes involved in neuro-transmission, various results are possible. In some cases, production of neuro-transmitters is reduced, and in other cases, the transmitter-receptor includes sequence elements and/or stop-codones encoded by intrones that do not allow suitable status of the transmitters. Since these xe2x80x9cChimericxe2x80x9d receptors of the glia cannot be occupied by neuro-transmitters matching them, the deactivating or limit-setting function of synaptic transfer through glia cells may be destroyed or completely lost. The inability to discard xe2x80x9cintronic ideasxe2x80x9d can lead to phantasms and hallucinations, and might explain why schizophrenic patients are not capable of checking the reality of their ideas, and are firmly convinced that everything that occurs in their minds is real. It is possible that many of the concepts or thoughts of schizophrenic patients arose very early in the evolution and cannot be realized, but that some of these concepts were adapted to reality in the course of their development if the environment changes, and are no longer perceived as phantasms.
For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should now be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.